Centre Manager appointed as growing Flemingate centre welcomes new occupiers

A new Centre Manager has been appointed to lead the team at Beverley’s Flemingate centre as more occupiers come on board and visitor numbers grow.

The appointment of Amy Whittaker comes as Flemingate’s owner and operator, Wykeland Group, continues to invest in the East Yorkshire retail and leisure destination.

Amy brings nearly 20 years of experience in shopping centre management roles. Her career in retail began with training management roles at Tesco, before spending seven years at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

Following three years at the Merry Hill centre outside Birmingham, she most recently led the team at The Potteries Centre in Stoke-on-Trent, joining in 2013 and progressing through HR and operations roles to become General Manager in 2020 and then Centre Director in 2024.

She has now joined Wykeland with a remit to build on Flemingate’s success as it continues to buck high street retail trends and contributes to Beverley being recognised as one of the North of England’s most attractive market towns.

Amy said: “I’m excited to work closely with our tenants and to play an active role in the events and activities that make Flemingate such an important and popular destination. I have lots of ideas to build on Flemingate’s very strong foundations and I’m really looking forward to taking these forward with the team.

“I’m a big believer in working with people in a collaborative effort to achieve shared goals. My focus is on building relationships, streamlining processes and continually improving the experience for both our tenants and visitors to the centre.

“What excites me most is the opportunity to play a key role in shaping the centre, delivering growth and enhancing Flemingate’s contribution to the economy and community in Beverley.”

Amy’s appointment is part of Wykeland introducing an enhanced operating model across its retail portfolio, aligned with industry best practice.

As well as Flemingate, Wykeland owns and operates the thriving Waterside centre in Lincoln, which has benefited from a £3m investment programme since Wykeland acquired the centre, initially in 2023 in a 50/50 joint venture with Lincolnshire Co-op, and, since May this year, as the sole owner.

The new Centre Manager role is a key part of this approach, with Amy acting as the public face of Flemingate and providing a dedicated, senior on-site presence to strengthen communication with

tenants, lead day-to-day operations and ensure the highest standards of service, to both occupiers and customers.

Flemingate is now close to full occupancy and has seen a 3% increase in footfall in the year to date, compared with 2025.

Amy’s appointment comes as two new occupiers join the line-up of national and independent operators.

Regional retailer Yorkshire Trading Company is about to open in one of Flemingate’s largest units, located opposite homewares retailer Dunelm. New indoor golf and entertainment venue FORE! will also be opening next month, combining cutting-edge golf technology and a social environment.

The openings will reinforce Flemingate’s mix of national and independent retail and leisure brands.

The retail line-up includes H&M, Sports Direct, Superdrug, The Entertainer, Shoezone and Card Factory, among others, alongside independent businesses including Art & Soul, Baytree Interiors and Beverley Travel.

Flemingate also has a strong hospitality and leisure offering, including Parkway Cinema, Ambiente Tapas, Tomahawk Steakhouse, The Boardroom, Sumo Pan Asian, Starbucks, Costa Coffee, Greggs and Firepit sports bar. The centre also includes an 80-bed Premier Inn, 30,000 sq ft of offices and a 500-space multi-storey car park.

Jason Platten, Wykeland’s Head of Retail and Leisure, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Amy to lead the team at Flemingate. She brings extensive experience, strong leadership and a drive to ensure Flemingate reaches its full potential.

“Amy’s appointment reflects our continued investment in Beverley and our commitment to providing the very best support for our tenants, partners and visitors. Having a dedicated Centre Manager on site strengthens communication, builds closer bonds with our occupiers, and ensures we continue to deliver the very high standards people expect from Flemingate.

“With Yorkshire Trading Company and FORE! joining the centre, occupancy levels close to 100% and footfall continuing to grow, this is an exciting time for Flemingate. We’re committed to building on that momentum and ensuring the centre continues to thrive.”